Golf-game apparatus



W. GASTON GOLF GAME APPARATUS Filed July 26, .1926

V H v 3 Aug. 30, 1927.

INVENTOR Jam Gaston.

ATTORNEYS 7' muux Nv 551.3% 525 n V [BILL Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

PATENT ()F'FICE.

WILLIAM GASTIUN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GOLF-GAME APPARATUS.

' Application manly 26,

My invention relates to a game employing a board of the general character of a checker board, and particularly relates to a checker board modified to embody features characteristic of the actual playing of golf, which board is further characterized by the factthat certain. squares of the checker board are trapped with bunkers, sand-pits, water hazards, rough and out-of-bounds to simulate a golf course.

The general object of my inventiomtherefore, is to provide a board of the character of a checker board embodying the golf features referred to in a practical manner, to provide a game having interest beyond that of the game. of checkers, while embodying certain characteristics. of the game of checkers.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, it being understood that the drawings are merely illustrative of one example of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an edge view of 'the game board- Figures 3 and a are perspective views showing examples of pieces to be employed in playing. the game. i

The board 10 shown in Figure 1 is arranged in general like a checker board, but modified. Said board has three rows of alternate squares 11 and 12. being. differentiated by coloring or otherwise. Said squares are adapted to receive a total of twentyof a game board seven pieces such as the pieces 13 shown in Figure 3-, simulating one-half of a golf ball. The two series of three rows eachof squares 11 and 12 are separated by a field for playing, there being illustrated in. the latter.. for examplefour rows of squares, alternate squares 14 and 15 being (:liiferentiated by coloring or otherwise. The unmeral 112 indicates disc-like' figures in the spaces 12 to receive the pieces 13, 113. Interposed in some of the rows of squares in the playing field are bunkers l6 and roughs 17 also in certain squares in the field representations of trees or the equivalent indicate out of bounds as indicated at 18. Disposed on the field, made up of the rows of squares, between the series of 1926. Serial No. 125,041.

squares 11 and 12 are lakes-19, made inthe form of a chain of lakes connected by the representation of streams 20.

The squares 14 represent the fairway. In addition to said rows of squares 11, 12', 14 and 15, additional rows of squares are pro-- vided along each edge of the board and be yond the rows of squares 11 and 12, said additional squares being known as the blrdie-l'iead of the course, andbeing' indicated by the numeral 21 and separated by distinguishing squares 22. Adjacent cer tain of the green squares 21 in the birdiehead are sand traps 23. The numeral 113 indicates one of the feathered or birdie pieces, which enters the play in lieu of a piece 13, whenever the piece 13. reaches, in the play, the birdie head having the series of birdie squares 21.

Definitions. v A side consists either of two players or four players. If one player play against another the match is termed a twosome. If two play against two, each'side playing one set of balls or pieces, the match is call'ed a foursome. 1

The course is the whole area within which play is permitted, or-that area between the two separated series of squares 11 and 12. Specifically, the course is composed of the dark green or fairway squares 12, that is, two rows of nine squares for each player, or eighteen in all.

A hazard is any bunker, sand-trap, pond or lake, or a rough.

Out .of bounds is all the which play is supposed to be The ball is out of bounds when played out of the prohibited area, as for 'eXam-ple,.on to the square 18. Y

En prise: A ballis said. to be en prise when it is under attack.

Forevantage; This. term describes an opening in. which the ball. is voluntarily sacrificed at an. early stage o-f-the. game, in order subsequently to gain anadvantage) Fore! is the expression generally used ground in when a player touches a piece 113, either a'ball or a birdie, with the intention of making a move.

Stymied describes that state of the game when one of the players is so placed prohibited.

or maneuvered that he cannot move with out losing a ball or piece.

Foozle: A player is said to foozle when he omits to take a ball or birdie en prise; the non-taking ball being forreited and removed from the course by way of penalty. r

The method of wooing the pieces and play my the game.

Each player is required to play with a different colored set of pieces, that is, red or white pieces. The players exchange pieces after each game. Lots cast for the choice of color at the commencement of a match. V

The aim pursued is to capture or trap the balls or pieces of the adversary, or to so hem them in that they cannot be played. i hen either player is reduced to such a condition that he has no pieces left ith which to play, the game is at an end.

The pieces are moved one square at a time diagonally to right or left and to any ad jacent square which for the time being is vacant. The pieces or balls can only move in a forward direction, until they reach the furthermost row at the ad "vary s side of the board, known as the birdie head of the course, at which time they become known as birdies. From thence forward pieces can be moved backward or forward at the pleasure of the player but the pieces are still limited to one square or green at each move.

' W hen a ball becomes a birdie the fact is denoted by the piece being feathered, that is to say, removed from the green and a birdie or feathered piece substituted in its place.

When two opposing pieces or balls come into juxtaposition with a vacant space hehind either of them, the piece is said to be en prise and becomes liable, when it is the adversarys turn to play, to be taken out. The ball which is taken is removed from the course and the capturing ball remains on. If, after making one move or jump, another ball stands in position to be jumped, it is jumped on the same turn or move, but when a birdie green is reached, whether by a jump or otherwise, that play ends the move until. the other player has moved, except when a ball already a birdie umps in. It then jump out again if a ball stands in the way of being captured.

When a ball is played into a bunker, sand trap, rough, or out-of-bounds, a loss of one ball penalty is incurred by the player. It is then optional with said player to remove the from the course any remaining ball of his balls and must be removed from the board,

at once. Also under these circumstances an additional ball or piece is forfeited by way of penalty.

Playing forward or backward over trap ped, greens'involves the loss of one ball as a penalty After a player foozles, the opposing player has the power either to compel the take, or to let the ball remain on the course, as he thinks proper...

If a ball or birdie, in making a capture, reaches a bunker, sand-trap, rough, or outof-bounds, and is brought into juxtaposition with another ball or birdie of the opponent, the player cannot as part of the same move continue to capture after entering a trap.

A capture in play as Well as an ordinary play is'considered completed as soon as the hand is withdrawn from the ball or piece played. i

I would state furthermore that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, 1 do not limit myself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated, since, manifestly, the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

hat I claim is: I

1. In a game device, a board having delineated thereon the following, to wit: two series of rows of spaces to 'acccninodate pieces for the playing of the game, and a playing field betwec said rows of spaces, and divided into corresponding spaces alining obliquely with the first mentioned spaces, certain spaces in said playing field having hazards indicated adjacent thereto, said hazards including sand traps, bunkers,

out of bounds.

2. In a game device, a board having delin eated thereon three rows of spaces, nine spaces in each row, separated by intervening spaces distinguished from the first spaces, the spaces in the respective rows alining obliquely, a playing field between said two series spaces of three rows each, 'and'divided into separate spaces aliningobliquely with the spaces'in said two series ofrows, and a row of spaces along each of the said series of rows on that side remote from said thereto.

WILLIAM GASTON. 

